Norma Jean Rumbolz, 80, of Mitchell (formerly of Ethan) died, Saturday January 3, 2009 at Avera Brady Health and Rehab. Funeral services will be 11 AM Thursday, January 8, 2009 at the Ethan United Methodist Church with burial and Hillcrest Cemetery in Ethan. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Wednesday at the Will Funeral Chapel with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 PM.

Norma Jean Yusten Rumbolz, was born October 29, 1928, at Ethan, to Esther Isaacson Yusten and Theodore Yusten.

Norma grew up on a farm west of Ethan where she learned the value of hard work. She attended Ethan High School for two years and then married Luvern Rumbolz, a young farmer, on June 10, 1944. Norma and Luvern worked side-by-side raising a family and farming. After her children were in school, Norma also worked as a clerk at J. C. Penney's and then as a bookkeeper at Culhane's Dairy. Norma learned to sew as a teenager and loved making anything involving a needle and thread. She was an avid seamstress, made dolls and other crafts, and eventually started making quilts. She was a member of the Heartland Quilt Guild in Mitchell and enjoyed going to the "Saturday Sampler" group with her daughter-in-law.

In February 1992 Norma and Luvern sold the farm machinery and rented out their farm land. They continued to live on the homestead until 1995 when they sold the house and moved to Mitchell. After the machinery auction, Norma and Luvern bought an RV and did some traveling for a few years. Norma even went along with Luvern to work with a combining crew and travel the Midwestern states combining wheat. Norma was a cook and Luvern drove combines and trucks. They had some memorable experiences traveling with the crew and meeting farmers from Texas to North Dakota. During "retirement", Norma worked several summers at an RV Park in Mitchell and volunteered at the Middle Border Museum (Dakota Discovery Museum). She enjoyed spending time with family, quilting, and reading. She and Luvern continued to travel, visiting their daughters in Georgia and family out West. Norma was a member of the Ethan United Methodist Church.

She is survived by three children: Scott (Michele) Rumbolz of Mitchell; Patricia (Tom) Wudel of Waleska, GA; and Sharon (Dan) McBrayer of Rome, GA; two brothers: Robert (Loraine) Yusten, Gehring, NE; and Kenneth (Donetta) Yusten, Mitchell. Norma has five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Luvern; a son, Douglas; brothers, Clifford and Theodore Yusten; half brother, Edward Yusten, and half sisters, Caroline Reinartz, Ella Wise, and Dorothy Gaumer.